Combined sign and shelter



Sept. 3, 1963 s. WHITESELL COMBINED SIGN AND SHELTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 5, 1954 Lee 5. Whi/esel/ INVENTOR.

Sept. 3, 1963 L. s. WHITESELL COMBINED SIGN AND SHELTER Filed Aug. 3,1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lee 5. Whilese/l IN VEN TOR.

BY ww zsm Sept. 3, 1963 L. s. WHITESELL 3,102,365

COMBINED SIGN AND SHELTER Filed Aug. 5, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v Lee .S.Whitesel/ INVENTOR.

COMBINED SIGN AND SHELTER Lee S. Whitesell, St. Petersburg, Fla.

(8570 Hollyhoclr Ave., Largo, Fla.)

Filed Aug. 3, 1954, Ser. No. 447,515

4 Claims. or. 50-48) This invention relates to a combined sign andshelter that is especially adapted for use in gasoline servicestationsor other similarplaces that may conveniently and successfully combine anadventisin-g Sign and shelter.

An object of this invention is to provide a combined sign and shelterthat is specifically adapted for gasoline service stations wherein theshelter is constructedof translucent waterproof panels that may havesuitable adver verse members and-central reinforcing longitudinal. memteach end -ofthe combined sign andshelter is tising indicia thereon forconveyingan advertisement to the public.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a L combined signand shelter conformable to the preceding 7 y object wherein theadvertising indicia. may be in the form of translucent or opaquelettenin-g andilluminating means may or may not be provided inassociation therewith-for enhancing the novel effect and attentionprovokingqualities of the advertisement.

Still another important object of the present invention.

is to provide a combined sign and shelter that is simple inconstruction, rugged, easy to adapt to existing structures, well adaptedfor its intended purposes and relatively inexpensive to manufacture andconstruct.

These together other objects and advantages which 2 will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to h-ke'parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the combined sign and shelter of thepresent invention in use in conjunction with a gasoline service station;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse, vertical seotional view taken substantiallyupon a plane passing along section line 2-4. of FIGURE 1 showing thedetails of construction of the mounting means for securing the combinedsign and shelter to their supporting members;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the combined sign and shelter ofFIGURE .1; 4

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view similar to FIG- URE 2 showingamodified form of sign and shelter;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the construction of FIGURE 4; y

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational View of the construction of FIGURE 5;

Patented Sept. 3, 1963 tions. The combined sign aiidshelt-er 10 includesa pair of panels 18 that slope upwardly in converging relation and joinin an apex, and the ends of the panels 18 are closed by generallytriangular. panels 26 wherein the panels 18 and 20 are secured totriangular framing 22 as shown in FIGURE 2 that extends about the lowerperiphcry of the panels 18 and 20 and includes reinforcing trans bers. Tprovided tubular socket24 and the tubular supports 16 are provided witha collar 26 with a setscrew 28 thereon for. supporting the signandshelter 16 thereon. The lower edges of the central portions of theendpanels 20 are secured. to the supports 16 by U-shaped clamps 30 thatare attached to the framing 22 by suit-able fastening means 32. Thepanels 18 and 20 *are corrugated, and the sloping panels 18 are providedwith indicia 34 thereon. The panels 18 and 20 are transparent and theindicia 34 is opaquewhereby the indicia 34 will stand. out and peoplesattention will be drawn thereto. As shownin FIG- URE 3, elongatedlighting means 36may be provided for illuminatingthe interio-rof thesign and shelter 10, there.

by assuring that the indicia 34 will stand out at night as,

well as in the daytime. The lighting means 36 i ay be any well knownfluorescent type of fixture with suitable socket38.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the indicia-or advertisingme-l dium may bepositioned on the panels 18 irran upstanding position substantially asshown at 40 wherein the etters or indicia 40will stand outagainst thetransparent panels 18 that may or may not be illuminated by the il-FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of another modified luminating means 36.Theremainder of the structure is is the same and need not be discussedinasmuch as the only modification is the vertically upstanding sign.formed by the indicia 40. v

4 Referring now speoifically to FIGURES 5 and 6wherein the numeral 42.designate-slat modified form of the com bined sign and shelter andwherein a pair oif upwardly converging panels 44 are joined at an apexthat is coincident with the upstanding supportslG. The upwardly andinwardly sloping panels 44 are transparent and provided with suitableadvertising indicia 46 thereon for conveyirlg a message to the public..=It will be seen that the outer edges. of the panels 44 slope upwardlyand outwardly, as indicated by the numeral 48, therebyextending theeffective area of the shelter whereinv the e'fficiency:

of the combined signgand shelter 42 is increased. The

panels 44 may be transparent" with suitable illuminating meansthereunder for use when desired. The indicia 46 are. opaque so as tostand out against the transparent.

panels 44, thereby assuring that the public will be attracted to theindicia. It will be seen that the transparent panels 44 are smooth intheir entirety, and suitable end panels may or may not be provided asdesired, and the combined sign and shelter 42 maybe secured totheqvertieal uprights 16 in any suitable manner.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view showing yet another modified form of thecombined sign and shelter.

Referring now specifically to FIGURES 1-3, it will be seen that thenumeral 10 generally designates the combined sign and shelter of thepresent invention that is especially useful in conjunction with :agasoline service station having a concrete island 12 with gasolinedispensing pumps 14 positioned thereon. A pair of vertical supports 16 lV are embedded in the concrete island 12 adjacent the ends thereof andextend vertically above the gasoline pumps 14 wherein the supports it?are in the form-of tubular members having closed upper ends. It will beunderstood that the combined sign and shelter 10 of the presentinvention may be attachedto existing light poles or other structurealready positioned in previously constructed service sta Referring nowspecifically to FIGURES 7 and 8, it i be seen that the numeral 50designates another modified form of the combined sign and shelter ofthepresent invention that may be attached to the usual vertical uprightsupports 16. The sign and shelter 50 includes a pair of downwardly andinwardly converging panels 52 having an apex at their lower edges,coincident with the supports i '16 and :the ends of the panels 52 arejoined by a triangular panel 54 thereby forming an inverted triangularreceptaclelike member. A toppanel S6 joins the upper, edges of thepanels 52 and 54, thereby :forminga closure for the sign and shelter 5d.The panels SQ-and 54 are corrugated transparent members, and the toppanel 56 may or may. r

Further, suitable not be transparent and corrugated. framing may beprovided together withmeans for secura ases m "a; Sign and shelter so tothe uprightsupports 16.

The inwardly and downwardly converging panels 52 may be provided withsuitable indici-a With'illuminating means in associationtherewithwherein the illuminating means will cause the suitable indiciato stand out on the combined sign and shelter 50 for more elfioientadvertising.

- ivided (for securing the panels 60 and 62 on the side surfiace of abuilding or the-like. Indioia 64 are provided on the downwardly slopingupper surface of the panel 60 wherein the panel 60 is'transparent andthe indicia 64 is opaque, thereby forming a Contrast between the panel60 and the indicia 64 for attnacting attention to the indioia 64. Thepanels 60 and 62 may be corrugated and transparent if desired, andillumination means may or may not a be provided for illuminating theinterior of the sign and shelter 58 and enhancing the appearance thereoffor attraoting attention to the indicia 64.

I t will be seen that each of the combined sign and shelters ofthe'presentinvention provides a'shelter that proteots various personsfrom the elements, such as rain or the vlike, "and rat the same time,provides an advertising medium for conveying a message tothe public, andstill further, provides illuminating means for the area immediatelyunder the combined sign and shelter. The device is especially adaptablefor gasoline service stations or other similar places that. dispensearticles or materials on theoutside where they are susceptible to rain,snow or the like. .The various panels may be corrugated for strength, ifdesired, and may be constructed of any suitablematerial, althoughfiberglass has been found to be ac- 35 -."ceptable wherein the fiberglass is translucent or at least partially so for the passage, of'lightrays. The indicia maybe either painted on or' attached in any suitablemanner, thereby providing an attractive advertising medium that may ormay not be illuminated.

' From the foregoingthe construction and operation of thedevice will bereadily understood and further explanaftion is believed to beunnecessary. However, since nur'nerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled-in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described; andaccordingly, wall suitable modifications and equivalents tiveposts indownwardly spaced relation from their upper ends, a pair of tu'bularsockets slidably positioned on said posts above and insupponting'engagement with the respective collars, a pair of triangularframes each having an apex portion and a base portion, said socketsbeing secured to the apex portions of the respective frames whereby theheight of the frames above the ground may be varied by adjustment ofsaid collars on said posts, and roof paneling secured to and carried bysaid frames, said paneling spanning the space between said posts andbeing provided at points in register with said sockets with openingshav-- ing said posts projecting'upwa-rdly therethrough, whereby tofacilitate adjustment of the height of said frames relamay be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims. i I What is claimedas new is as follows I '1. A shelterdomprising in combinationa pair'ofspaced upright supporting posts having their lower end portions embeddedin the ground, a pair of collars vertically ad- 1 justably positionedon'upper end portions of the respective to the ground. 2. Thecombination as defined in claim 1 together with U shaped clamps providedon the. base portions of said frames and engaging said posts at pointsspaced downwardly from said collars. I

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said paneling includestranslucent panels that converge upwardly, indicia formed of opaquematerial on said panels, and illuminating means positioned behind thetranslucent panels, said panels being provided with inclined end edgesthat slope upwardly and outwardly,

4.'The structure as defined in claim 11 wherein said paneling includespanels that have end edges and remote side edges,

References Cited in the file of this patent .UNITED STATES PATENTS saidpanels converging downwardly and inwardly, triangular end panels joiningthe end edges of D. 144,669 Adams May 14, 1946 244,058 Hock July 12,1881 522,120 McHarry June 26, 1894 1,527,977 7 Herzog Mar. 3, 19251,796,233 Barnes Mar. 10, 1931 1,854,514 Ishbia Apr. 19, 1932 1,856,658Rummler v May 3, 1932 1,933,878 Stebbins Nov. 7, 1933 1,974,039 Bohannonet a1. Sept. 18, 1934 2,093,559 Hobbie Sept. 21, 1937 2,603,898Patterson July 22, 1952 2,825,352 Lemen Mar. 4, 1958 FOREEGN PATENTS4,520 Great Britain Nov. 5, 1879 7 485,579 I Ger-many -Q Nov. 2, 1929630,696 1 Great Britain Oct. 19, 1949 871,511 Germany Mar. 23, 1953 7OTHER REFERENCES American Roofer (page 11) of November 1950.

1. A SHELTER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A PAIR OF SPACED UPRIGHT SUPPORTING POSTS HAVING THEIR LOWER END PORTIONS EMBEDDED IN THE GROUND, A PAIR OF COLLARS VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLY POSITIONED ON UPPER END PORTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE POSTS IN DOWNWARDLY SPACED RELATION FROM THEIR UPPER ENDS, A PAIR OF TUBULAR SOCKETS SLIDABLY POSITIONED ON SAID POSTS ABOVE AND IN SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RESPECTIVE COLLARS, A PAIR OF TRIANGULAR FRAMES EACH HAVING AN APEX PORTION AND A BASE PORTION, SAID SOCKETS BEING SECURED TO THE APEX PORTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE FRAMES WHEREBY THE HEIGHT OF THE FRAMES ABOVE THE GROUND MAY BE VARIED BY ADJUSTMENT OF SAID COLLARS ON SAID POSTS, AND ROOF PANELING SECURED TO AND CARRIED BY SAID FRAMES, SAID PANELING SPANNING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID POSTS AND BEING PROVIDED AT POINTS IN REGISTER WITH SAID SOCKETS WITH OPENINGS HAVING SAID POSTS PROJECTING UPWARDLY THERETHROUGH, WHEREBY TO FACILITATE ADJUSTMENT OF THE HEIGHT OF SAID FRAMES RELATIVE TO THE GROUND. 